latelenovela Chapter 391 The Worried Commander Luo
Chapter 391 The Worried Commander Luo
Commander Luo was in a very good mood in the office. He had approved Admiral Nimitz's combat plan. The Pacific Fleet would dispatch 17 fleet aircraft carriers and 18 escort aircraft carriers, a total of 35 aircraft carriers, carrying a huge fleet of about 1500 carrier-based aircraft to cover the army's landing on Luzon Island.
In addition, there are 12 battleships, 24 cruisers, and 141 destroyers, while the opposing Japanese Combined Fleet has at most 10 battleships and 5 or 6 aircraft carriers. The comparison of air force is 7:1, and the advantage is very obvious.
As long as the former colony of Luzon was reoccupied, the B-29 fleet could immediately begin carpet bombing the Japanese mainland.
Commander Luo read the report, and the Ordnance Bureau praised the napalm bombs provided by Zhang Chi, saying that they were 135% more powerful than traditional incendiary bombs.
He didn't look closely at how the 135% was calculated. As a leader, he only needed to look at the final data summary.
General Li Mei of the Air Force reported the plan to him in person. Considering that the Japanese cities were mainly made up of wooden buildings and had weak air defense capabilities, once a "fire attack" was launched, its war potential would be quickly suffocated.
Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Fukuoka, and a series of major cities were soon included in the Army Air Force's bombing list, waiting for the Army to land in Luzon and occupy the airports there.
In fact, as early as June, 75 B-29s of the 58th Bomb Wing took off from an air base in Sichuan Province and carried out a mission to bomb the Yawata Steel Plant on the coast of Kitakyushu.
Because it was a long-range raid, fuel consumption was extremely important. In order to ensure the range, each B-29 only carried 2 tons of bombs.
Although the bombing had good results, the White Eagle military was not very satisfied.
After all, these bombs were shipped across half the world by sea, unloaded in Yangon, and then transported by land or air to Sichuan Province via the Stevenson Highway. It was time-consuming and labor-intensive, and they had to be stored for a long time before a bombing.
On the contrary, once Luzon was occupied, transport ships departing from the west coast could directly transport bombs to Luzon. Not only was it convenient and fast, but in terms of distance, northern Luzon was about 800 km closer to the southern part of the Japanese main island than Sichuan Province, allowing the B-29 to carry less fuel and more bombs.
Suddenly, the office door was pushed open.
Commander Luo looked at the intruder with displeasure, and only when he found out that it was his close friend and advisor Harry Lloyd Hopkins did his brows relax.
Commander Luo, who was in a good mood, joked, "Oh my God, Harry, you looked so rushed that I thought the Japanese had launched another sneak attack."
"Good news! The Anmin Army's amphibious landing was successful. A motorized force of approximately 1 men is now charging along the coastal highway towards the undermanned Lion City. The Japanese are about to lose the Strait of Malacca!"
Chief of the General Staff Marshall, who was sitting opposite General Luo, also showed a look of joy on his face: "Great! Once we capture Malacca and successfully land on Luzon, the Japanese control over Southeast Asia will completely fall apart!"
At this happy moment, Commander Luo showed a thoughtful look on his face.
The development of the Anmin Army seems too fast?
Without the resources of Southeast Asia and the bombing of their homeland, would the Japanese collapse before the Nazis?
Although the Republic of China's combat effectiveness is poor, the Anmin Army is so powerful. Should he invite the Russians to join him in attacking the Japanese? Or can he successfully capture the Japanese main island with just his own troops and the Anmin Army?
The main base of the Anmin Army is the Chinese. Will they lean towards the Republic of China, leading to the emergence of a super giant of Dragon Country + Southeast Asia on the other side of the Pacific to confront the White Eagle after the defeat of the Japanese?
Top strategists are experts at looking ten steps ahead. At this moment, Commander Luo's mind was filled with all kinds of thoughts and worries.
Hopkins noticed that Commander Luo's expression was not right and asked hurriedly, "What's the matter? Are you worried?"
"The Japanese mainland has a population of only 7000 million and an area of 38 square kilometers. However, the Republic of China and its legal territory, plus the areas currently occupied by the Anmin Army, have over 1000 million square kilometers of land and a population of over 4 million people of the same language and ethnicity."
"Once the People's Army takes over the Strait of Malacca and joins forces with the Republic of China, we will be facing a land power and a maritime power. The most ironic thing is that their army was armed by our own hands."
"Of course, they are still our loyal allies now, but what about in the future?"
Chief of Staff Marshall pondered for a moment and said, "You've also read Stevenson's report before he was dismissed. The chaos and corruption in the Republic of China are shocking. Although this has led to more defeats than victories in the war against the Japanese, it has greatly benefited our efforts to deepen our control over the Republic of China."
Marshall's tone was filled with disdain for the Republic of China. "So what if there were a large Chinese population? They were nothing more than a loose collection of loose sand." The White Eagles had too many levers to pull: the Shanxi clique, the Northwest clique, the Guangxi clique, the Yunnan clique, the Prince clique, the Military and Political clique, the Civil Engineering clique.
"As for the Anmin Army, although Stevenson praised their combat effectiveness and they control a lot of land in Southeast Asia, I think their Chinese origin actually keeps them at a distance from the Republic of China."
"That's right." Hopkins found a vacant sofa and sat down, crossing his legs in a relaxed manner. "Power is a deadly poison. Zhang Chi of the Anmin Army and his men will never join forces with the Republic of China. Otherwise, they will lose their power and status first."
"Sharing the same language and culture, they are actually quite afraid that the Republic of China will use its size to swallow them up. As long as we take advantage of this contradiction, we can easily mediate between the two factions and make them loyal followers of the United States."
The Republic of China was too large and the Anmin Army was too powerful. The three people present knew that it was impossible to directly control them as they had previously controlled the colony of Luzon.
Commander Luo, in his wheelchair, clapped his hands. "When the devils surrender, we'll find ways to provoke a conflict between them, and the United States will act as an offshore third party to maximize its benefits. Does this method sound a bit like John's?"
Marshall: "Now both the Anmin Army and the Republic of China need our help. Whether it's economics, diplomacy, or military, there are so many areas where we can intervene..."
"Let them be suspicious of each other and check and balance each other - and we will hide outside the strait like John Bull, intervening in every conflict with finance and weapons..." Consultant Hopkins painted a beautiful picture that the United States is the future master of the world.
Commander Luo shook his head and said to the two men, "The Pacific Ocean is vast, but it cannot accommodate two great powers. This matter is not that simple..."
The current White Eagle is not the White Eagle of several decades later. He does not have much experience in raising younger brothers. He is afraid that he might kill his younger brothers or that a "son-in-law will devour his master".
Marshall: "The same can be said for Europe. Once the Nazis surrender, what we need is a divided Europe, not a united one. Otherwise, we will inevitably repeat the mistakes of the last world war."
Commander Luo patted the blanket covering his legs and said nothing.
Afterwards, Harry Hopkins, a close friend of Commander Luo, wrote in his diary:
"After learning that the People's Security Army was truly going to liberate Singapore, the President questioned us for a long time. Having worked with him for so long, I've rarely seen him so conflicted. Even during the most difficult days after Pearl Harbor, he was always full of confidence...
But now, behind his eyes full of wisdom, I see only worry and uncertainty about the future."